TechTank

Data centers are crucial for AI, but with thousands of file servers, they also require large amounts of energy and water. As more facilities are built, it’s important to understand this usage and how it might affect surrounding communities. In this episode, co-host Darrell West is joined by Joseph Kane to discuss how data centers use water and the policy questions surrounding these resources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many of today’s conversations about AI and emerging technologies are increasingly driven by questions about national security. These conversations are the latest in a longstanding debate over how the government uses a complex set of regulatory tools to protect critical technologies. In this episode, co-host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Justin Sherman to discuss these patterns and his new book, “Navigating Technology and National Security.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the internet emerged, so did stereotypes about older people's use of it. Yet research has countered some of these common beliefs and led to greater understanding of these generations' online activity. In this episode, Nicol Turner Lee speaks with Eszter Hargittai, the co-author of "Wired Wisdom: How to Age Better Online," about these findings and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marketplaces look different in the digital age and are controlled by a few large companies with immense economic and cultural power. Co-host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by legal scholar and tech expert, Tim Wu, to discuss his new book, “The Age of Extraction” and the future of these platforms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI is the transformative technology of our time, yet undergirding the growing use of AI is the need for state-of-the-art data centers that host the file servers and networking equipment that store, process, and analyze information. In this episode, Nicol Turner Lee and Darrell West discuss what data centers are, their number and distribution, barriers to development, and ways to overcome those challenges. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.